A.0.4 Update: Added a richer variety of species to the Great Cemetery! a. Animal Type: 1. Cave Spider (Initial Attributes: 3/3/3/2/0) (Talents: Web Spinning, Burrowing) (Minimum Soul Level Requirement: Common) (Reincarnation Cost: 500 Contribution Points) (Initial Revival Cost: 50 Contribution Points) b. Undead Type: 1. Skeleton Soldier. (Initial Attributes: 2/3/1/0/0) (Talent: Fright Aura) (Minimum Soul Level Requirement: Common) (Reincarnation Cost: 100 Contribution Points) (Initial Revival Cost: 20 Contribution Points) 2. Cave Bone Spider. (2/2/2/0/0) (Talent: Fright Aura) (Minimum Soul Level Requirement: Common) (Reincarnation Cost: 100 Contribution Points) (Initial Revival Cost: 20 Contribution Points) 3. Undead Rat. (1/2/3/0/0) (Talent: Fright Aura) (Minimum Soul Level Requirement: Common) (Reincarnation Cost: 100 Contribution Points) (Initial Revival Cost: 20 Contribution Points) Note: Due to technical reasons, after becoming a new species, your level will only be retained at the minimum level of your current tier. For example: If an Lv33 player reincarnates from a skeleton into a Cave Spider, their level will only be retained at Lv31 (the initial Steel-level). If an Lv30 player reincarnates from a skeleton into a Cave Spider, their level will only be retained at Lv11 (the initial Bronze-level). To avoid level loss, please consider your choice carefully when selecting reincarnation!
The "Calamity Online" Official Website forum.
Before the 400 newly added closed beta players had even entered the game, a pop-up notification about the update appeared before their eyes.
Old Man at the Village Entrance: "Wait, it just updated last night. Why is it updating again today?!"
Can't Afford to Play: "Awesome!!!"
Gou Shi: "6666!"
Tonsils Have Something to Say: "This update speed is way too fast!"
Mei Chuan Qiu Ku: "It'd be great if closed beta accounts were handed out a little faster too. T.T"
Thunderbolt King Professor Yang: "Be grateful. Four updates in three days and five hundred closed beta accounts total—it's much faster than another game I'm still waiting on. (eye roll)"
Heaven Defying Demon Emperor: "Reincarnation? Isn't that just switching characters? Never mind the level and quest systems—what is this if not copying Ming Shen? And everyone says it's worse than Ming Shen, so why are people still playing? Can the development team stop updating already? (question mark) (question mark)"
Flower Monk Lin Daiyu: "Does the whole world have to revolve around you? (seeing red)"
Unruly Life: "I'm dying. You don't seriously believe this, do you? I could make ten of these PPTs in a minute. Do you really believe someone has played it?"
Thunderbolt King Professor Yang: "Hiss... bro, have we met somewhere before? (sweat)"
Knowledge Explosion: "By the way, the newly updated Cave Spider seems ridiculously overpowered. Its initial attributes are 33320, a full 5 attribute points higher than a Skeleton Soldier! Are you sure those numbers aren't a typo?!"
Gou Shi: "The revival cost is a little high, but compared to its strength, that's not even an issue. Strong attributes and a skill too... I'm tempted. (smirk)"
Xiao Wan Can't Get Enough: "B-but if you play as a spider... wouldn't you scare yourself to death whenever you looked in a mirror? (゜ロ゜)"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "Mm, and high attributes don't necessarily mean high strength. Especially as levels rise, the advantage brought by initial attributes gets smoothed out quickly. On the other hand, certain disadvantages will follow that species for life."
Gou Shi: "Like?"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "Weapons, for example. You might directly have several fewer equipment slots than others... with how realistic this game is, at least I can't imagine a Cave Spider fighting while holding a weapon. And I reasonably suspect living creatures will need to eat, meaning you might have to eat things spiders eat."
Gou Shi: "Holy shit! I'd better keep being a Skeleton Soldier! (horror)"
Shark Drop Things: "Bleurgh, bleurgh, bleurgh!"
Old Man at the Village Entrance: "Now that you mention it, I suddenly think Skeleton Soldiers are pretty good. Compared to them, Cave Bone Spiders and Undead Rats look like they're here purely for comedy!"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "Not necessarily. It mostly depends on playstyle. For example, Undead Rats are small, and with their agility advantage, going for a stealthy thief build is a pretty good idea. As for Cave Bone Spiders... uh, I don't know what they're good for either. Maybe as mounts for other players? But they're clearly not as useful as Cave Spiders, and the latter even come with a control skill."
Mei Chuan Qiu Ku: "Got it! I'm going to find a way to trick my best bro into joining! (lewd) (lewd)"
Knowledge Explosion: "Don't you still not have a closed beta qualification?"
Gou Shi: "Won't it be awkward if your best bro gets in before you do? (smirk)"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "Oh, right. I also noticed something. Judging from the timing of the update and the content of the cutscene, the playable races seem to be related to the number of vassals belonging to the Great Cemetery."
Whale Fall North and South: "So does that mean reincarnating into a slime is possible?"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "I think it should be possible, but considering a slime's strength... I'd advise against it. (sweat)"
Tanghulu: "Wait, if surface humans become vassals too, can we reincarnate as humans?!"
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "Theoretically, it should be possible! But if I had to choose, I'd probably still prefer reincarnating as a demon with a higher potential ceiling."
"..."
While the forum users were heatedly discussing the A.0.4 Update's "reincarnation system," four hundred fresh little lambs had already entered the game one after another.
This was beyond Leon's expectations.
He had thought Cave Spiders would become the players' first choice, but he hadn't expected that, while most people talked big, they ultimately still chose Skeleton Soldiers.
Undead Rats came second.
The few Cave Spiders were as rare in his Great Cemetery as protected animals. He could count them on one hand.
Leon discovered that these guys with unconventional ideas were no pushovers either. They had quite the same flair he had back when he wandered around Demon Capital.
While everyone's attention was focused on him, two little spiders that had just emerged from the Magic Array had already begun shouting.
Failed Eel: "Paid mounts! 500 Hell Money per hour! DM me if you need one!"
Failed Dirty Eel: "Half price for the second one!"
Although the spiders controlled by the players were the sort that had just crawled out of spider eggs, after being infused with Calamity Online's Faith Power, their bodies had fully matured. Their round bodies were about a meter long, more than enough to carry a Skeleton Soldier.
China Server First Pig, who had likewise just crawled out of a spider egg, was instantly stunned as he watched the two Cave Spiders "sell themselves" on the spot.
"Holy shit?! What about your dignity?"
Failed Eel: "What do you know? This is the proper way to use Cave Spiders!"
Failed Dirty Eel: "Exactly! Otherwise, without any equipment, how are we supposed to fight monsters? Are we really going to bite them with our mouths? That's way too hardcore."
China Server First Pig: "???"
Huh? For a moment, he couldn't tell who the real pervert was, and who was the true meta answer.
But honestly, while Hell Money was worthless, 500 Hell Money an hour was still a little ridiculous.
Just as Pig Bro wondered what sucker would actually pay for it, three Skeleton Soldiers really did walk over from nearby.
And they seemed to be heading straight for them!
Long Xing Wan Li: "Five hundred an hour, right? We need three over here. How about booking all twelve hours for a full day? Mainly farming the Sewer Corridor. You need to follow commands and not steal the last hit. Quest and drop profits split fifty-fifty... uh, come to think of it, you don't seem to need equipment. We'll get it appraised at the NPC shop and pay you the cash value directly."
The guy in front was straightforward, agreeing without even trying to haggle.
Failed Eel: "No problem, no problem!"
Failed Dirty Eel: "Let's farm monsters!"
China Server First Pig: "Wait, bro, I was just passing by—"
Long Xing Wan Li: "After twelve full hours, I'll give you another 500 yuan as thanks for the effort. Overtime pays an extra 100 yuan per hour. I mean RMB."
China Server First Pig: "!!! Bro! Please get on my back!"
Failed Eel: "Boss, you're awesome!"
Failed Dirty Eel: "Awesome!!!"
"Remember to DM me your bank account number."
Long Xing Wan Li gestured behind him, signaling the other two to "get on," then flipped himself onto a spider's back first.
Perhaps because of its eight legs, the mount was unexpectedly steadier than a horse. It didn't sway at all as it walked.
Long Xing Qian Li, however, hesitated.
"Is this... really okay?"
"It's consensual. What's not okay about it?"
Already seated atop a Cave Spider, Long Xing Bai Li said with a grin.
"Stop dawdling. It's just a game. Didn't you play horseback war with the kids from your courtyard when you were little? If you say you didn't, I'm going to laugh at you... let's go, time to farm monsters!"
An archer riding a spider!
He was only missing pointy ears to become a Night Elf! Thousand Miles sighed and finally climbed on as well.
She wasn't afraid of spiders.
It was mainly that riding on the back of a strange man—or woman—felt a little weird...
On the other side, watching the wealthy trio ride away, the Newbies all revealed envious expressions.
It really was just as the saying went: some people were born riding horses, while others were born as screw horses.
Watching that group of "Spider Cavalry" disappear into the distance, Hu Wan wore a subtle expression.
"These guys are still the same as ever."
Even in a zero-spending game, they carried the aura of people determined to spend money anyway.
One Leaf Knows Autumn teased her.
"Looks like you're old friends."
"No... I'm not actually familiar with them. I think I told you before, but for some reason, they seem to know me," Hu Wan said with a sigh. "Never mind. Let's go farm monsters too... Sewer Corridor? Or Spider Cave? You decide."
After the Weave Shadow Nest surrendered, players could still attack the "Non-Green Name Cave Spiders" in the maze—simply put, the "wild monsters" outside the Weave Shadow Nest, or small tribes scattered in the corners of the maze.
The areas with the densest monster populations had already been marked on the map of the first level of the underground maze.
Incidentally, not long after the CG cutscene showing the Weave Shadow Nest's surrender ended, the Official Website forum had updated with a structural map of the first level of the underground maze.
It included not only the original maze, but also the sections the Weave Shadow Nest had expanded along the maze's outer perimeter.
Although the minimap and positioning features still hadn't been implemented, it was much easier than before to determine one's location by using special landmarks and intersections in the maze.
One Leaf Knows Autumn thought for a while before speaking.
"A quest to hunt Lizardmen was just updated. Let's farm Contribution Points in the Sewer Corridor and get you up to Black Iron first... oh, right. Have you decided whether to reincarnate? If you do, it's best to do it right after reaching LV4. That'll minimize experience loss."
"I decided ages ago," Hu Wan said with a smile. "I'm going to try an Undead Rat. It feels more suitable for me than a Skeleton Soldier."
One Leaf Knows Autumn: "A thief, huh? It does seem more suitable for you than a skeleton, but there won't be any guides to follow when pioneering a new class. Think it through."
Hu Wan waved her hand dismissively.
"Come on, do professional players care about that? Besides, don't I have you?"
Being flattered so directly made One Leaf Knows Autumn a little embarrassed. He gave an awkward laugh and said,
"Thanks for the compliment... it's getting late. Let's set out quickly, before those Guild Masters farm all the monsters."
Hu Wan smiled and reached out to bump fists with him.
"Oh! Let's go!"
Following the vast sea of Skeleton Soldiers, the two soon disappeared into the maze entrance.
At the same time, on the other side, Arakdo, who had just visited the Demon Lord, hurried back to the Weave Shadow Nest and brought Your Majesty Demon Lord's decree before Her Majesty Arachinos, the Cave Lord...
Upon learning that Your Majesty Demon Lord had slain the four-legged crawlers' envoy, acknowledged the Weave Shadow Nest's existence, and permitted her and her children to have a place in the maze, Arachinos was so excited she looked like a five-thousand-kilogram child, dancing wildly atop her web-woven palace.
"Wonderful! This is truly wonderful! Ah... Demon God above, You truly understand who the real loyal ones are!"
Her earlier disloyal remarks seemed to have been completely tossed behind her big rear end.
After her excitement faded, Arachinos regained her dignified bearing and looked down at the warrior crawling beneath her.
"Arakdo, you are a truly loyal subject. Thanks to you, our Weave Shadow Nest has gained this precious chance to catch its breath... tell me, what reward do you want?"
Watching the Queen lick the corner of her mouth, Arakdo trembled as he took a step back and nervously advised her.
"Your Majesty... as your most loyal warrior, I need no reward. To behold the glorious splendor of you and the Weave Shadow Nest is the greatest reward I could receive."
At this point, Arakdo paused and quietly observed Her Majesty's expression.
The latter seemed to be in a good mood, so he continued in a low voice.
"Also... please understand my difficulties. In that situation, I had no choice but to agree to that lord's demands."
Arachinos looked down at him, and her good mood briefly stalled.
"What did you promise him?"
Daring not to conceal anything, Arakdo quickly laid out the Demon Lord's demands in full, then waited uneasily for the Queen's punishment.
However, what happened next was beyond his expectations.
Not only did the Queen not pick him up and eat him as a snack, he also did not hear any deafening curses.
Lady Arachinos seemed to let out a breath of relief, her enormous body lazily reclining upon the spiderweb.
"That's all? Then satisfy him."
Two thousand spiders to do odd jobs, plus a thousand "Hunter" spider eggs—it would take at most a few months for her to gather them for that fellow.
And in exchange, the Demon Lord would guarantee the safety of the Weave Shadow Nest... this deal was actually quite worthwhile.
Although Arachinos had once dreamed of spreading her footprints across the entire Ten Thousand Ren Mountain Range and becoming a third power capable of standing alongside the surface and hell, after thinking it over, such a thing was simply too troublesome.
She persuaded herself again.
Actually...
She didn't hate relying on the strong that much. It was only because her children were too weak that she had no choice but to wear the crown and be strong.
Praise the Demon God!
Praise the Demon Lord!
Praise hell!
The clever High-level Demons had not forgotten this place! It had all been a misunderstanding. She could go back to peacefully being their "little female spider."
Seeing the Queen settle down and the palace stop bouncing around, Arakdo also let out a relieved breath... though a faint disappointment soon rose in his heart.
In his original plan, their feigned submission had only been meant to buy time for development. Yet at this moment, Her Majesty gave him the feeling that... this was fine too? What a pity.
He had once believed Lady Arachinos was an apostle sent by Demon God to save them. After all, such a massive Cave Spider had never been born in their nest.
But now it seemed that everything had been his misunderstanding. That lord was the true Chosen One who had come to save them.
Who deserved his loyalty more went without saying.
"Your Majesty, I am willing to take two thousand of our people to support Lord Demon Lord's plan... that lord's temperament is difficult to predict. I worry that your other children may not be able to serve him well."
Arachinos casually waved one of her forelimbs and said lazily,
"Go, Arakdo. Make sure you serve that lord well. Also, remember to give him my regards."
Arakdo lowered his head.
"As you command."
Before you continue